title: Vitamin D status in women with uterine leiomyomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent in vitro and in vivo experimental evidence supports a role of vitamin D insufficiency as an important factor in the development of uterine leiomyomas. However, epidemiological data supporting this possibility are scanty.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to investigate vitamin D status in women with and without uterine leiomyomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a case-control study of women referring to 2 infertility units in Italy. Women were eligible as cases if they were diagnosed with at least 1 uterine leiomyoma with a mean diameter ≥10 mm at transvaginal ultrasound. Each of them was matched to the 2 subsequent women of the same age (±1 year) whose uterus resulted unremarkable at ultrasound. Selected women provided a blood sample for the quantitative detection of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 128 women with leiomyomas and 256 controls were selected. The mean ± SD serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was significantly lower in affected women compared with controls (18.0 ± 7.7 vs 20.8 ± 11.1 ng/mL respectively, P = .010). The number (proportion) of women with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 deficiency (ie, <10 ng/mL) in cases and controls was 19 (15%) and 19 (7%), respectively (P = .022). The adjusted odds ratio for the presence of leiomyomas in women with serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ deficiency was 2.4 (95% confidence interval = 1.2-4.9) (P = .016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D is an emerging regulator of uterine leiomyoma development. Cohort and interventional studies are pressingly needed to confirm a causal relationship and to investigate the potential therapeutic benefits of vitamin D supplementation.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Infertility Unit, Via Fanti 6, 20122 Milano, Italy. alessio.paffoni@alice.it
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paffoni
authors.forename: Edgardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Somigliana
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vigano'
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benaglia
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardellicchio
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pagliardini
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papaleo
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Candiani
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fedele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D002112:Calcifediol